Organ



Jan. 13, 1931. H. L. STEIN'ELD 1,788,963

ORGAN Filed Jan. 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZN VENTO?? Jan. 13 1931. H. LJSTEINFELD 1,788,963A

ORGAN Filed Jan. 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H TTQPNEV Jan- 13, 1931- H. L. STEINFELD 1,788,963

ORGAN Filed'Jan. 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 13, 1931 igeaan PATENT ferries HAROLD L. STEINFELn, or ST. Louis, Missonni f oRenN Application filed January 18, 1929. Serial No. 333,350.

The modern organ is generally a very complex mechanism, its complexityL being increased since the application of electricity to the action. .For purposes of the present specification, it may be said that the instrument yconsists o-f three principalfparts, the `vvindsupply ,`the `pipework,and` the action.

invention is directed tothe action, which is the mechanism that controls the actual playing of the instrument. Under or within the term, are included the keys, stop-knobs, the combination pistons, the couplers, by means of which it is possible to couple'one manual to one or more others or to the pedal or itself, and relays by means of which it is possible to make one set of .pipes simulate several by 'unifying it and playing it at different pitch and on different manuals independently of other stops. If an 8-foot ory unison coupler is drawn, the notes played on one manual ,sound at the exact pitch on the manual 4.that is cou-pled. A Ll-foot or octave coupler causes the coupled notes to sound Van octave higher; a 16-foot or 'sub-octave coupler,.an octave lower. Formerly these combination pistons were mechanical levers'v serving many purposes, but with' the introduction of the electricv action, the mechanicallevers were re-V placed vvith ausystem of contacts, electromagnets, .andA pneumatics, which performed the same function Withless effort von the part of vthe organist. J 40 l Since the couplers may operate to cause hicher or lower than the key played at the vconsole `of the organ, Vbut may-falso bein a stopr not drawn on the manual played, the cioss Wiring becomes exceedingly complicated. Aside from the exacting Workmanjship required to correctly wire 'up such an arrangement, the interlaced 'wires aresubject to short circuits andv like derangements,

,frequently resulting fin ciphers andl other a pipe to 'speak'that it is not onlyanv octavefaulty intonation of the pipes. And unifying additionally complicates matters.

The prime object of my present invention istvo provide an improved method of construction of `the electrical conductors in the electrical action of an organ, and the arrangement thereof, for the purpose of facilitating the connections of the coacting partsof `they action and coincidentlyof lesseningfthef cost of construction of the action.

yAnother object ofmy invention is to pros vide an improved construction of a coupler or relay switch-board, or like idevicein the action, whereby the dangers of shortcircuits and Aother lfaults common to .electric organ actions areavoided.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved conductor associated with a coupler switchboard or the like, charf acterized` by employing a fluid, preferably plastic conductor,*preferably having siccative or hardening` properties, which is applied on, or, preferably, inlaid in, aninsulating materialfforming the switch-board base.

A further object of my invention is to pro f vide a method of applying said plastic conductor, characterizedV by employinga stencil, pattern, or like formativ'eimeans, which is. .placed 'on 0r over the insulating base, and the plastic conducting materialfpainted, sprayed, or otherwise spread over the stencil or Ypattern, upon the removaly of which the ldesired conformation of conduct-ing material remains on the' base-boardfor `utilization as electrical connections betweenI the coacting parts of the -act1on.

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A still further object of my invention is Y to provide an insulating base formingprefen ably part `of a switchboard, and having grooves inthe desired conformation suitably to the parts ofthe action to be electrically connected, the grooves being iilled, by paint ving or sprayingthe baseboard with a plastic conductingr materiah preferably having sie` cative properties.y this construction provid-Q Aing the sald electrical conductorsin a fully protected and highly eiiicient manner, substanti'ally free from the danger-s of short cir-vv Y cuits or damage from handling orfthe like.

And Withthe abovexfuidv other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view, partly broken away and in action, o'l. an electric organ switch-board embodying my invention Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof taken approximately along the line 2 2, Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary' bottom or inverted plan view of the switch-board `oit Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately alongthe-line 4.-4, Figure l:

Figure is vafragmentary inverted pers pective view of the switch-board;

`Figure 6 is a diagram ot the switch-board connections showing, for simplicity, the octave-s only;l and `Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan View ot a stencil., capable ot employment in the construction of the switch-board.

Brieliy described, an organ action of the character illustrated may comprii-ae a pluralityfof rotatable contact drums l, l, each provided longitudinally with a Acontact-strip 2 adapted, on rotation of the respective drums l, l, by a suitableactnating mechanism (not shown), to establish electricallyfconductii'ig contactbetween the adjacent one of a row ot upstanding flexible contact-pins 3, 3', and such `adjacent ones ot fa plurality oft rows o'fi upstanding flexible contact-pins 4. 5, and (l,Y

as may have previously been swung, as presentlyappearing, into the path of the contactstrip 2.

The pins 3, 3, are preferably permanently disposed to beslidingly contacted bythe contact-strip ofthe respectively alli-acont 'drum l, and in the action. there are asmany of said pins 3 as tl eredi-ums l. usuallyin ninnber equal to tj one. which cmnmonly compri-ses the gamut o'l.: the manual on fthe console. The pins 471-, 5. alnllare cuchapproximatelyaligned `with one ol -thcmpins 3. ybut arc-disposed so as to normally "hc `ontoiE the rotative Lpath of `the conta-ct strip and it. may here he stated that there may he `more or l( than sixty-one oi the pins 9. -l, 5. or 6. in each ol the resi-eclive rows thereof, as

the device is particularly uscgl'nl for extending the range ot themanual sri that thelovest digital, for exalnple,i1n=rv `be coupled lo a sub-octave, and thehighest digital coupled -to an octave or double-octave` so that the `stop or register may thus have at times a total number ot' as .many as ninety-seven speaking pipes.

The several pins 4, so arranged Iand disposed in a row extendingfor the greater part of the length of the switch-board, are all operatively engaged by a sliifta'ble coupler or relay bar 7, which, in the 4present instance,

is operable by a bell-crank 8 actuated by a suitable device (not shown) usually associated with the stop knobs or tablets on the console, the particular coupler or relay bar 7 acting to simultaneously .flex all of the several pins 1t into a position in the paths ot' the respective contact-strips 2 of the several drums l, as shown in Figures l and l.

ln a like manner, and by a similar mechanism, the row oi pins 5 may be swung by a coupler or relay bar 9 into the paths of the respective contact-strips 2; and a coupler or relay bar l0 performs a like function 't'or the row of pins 6. l y

There may, of course, be more than three rows Jof shiftable or swingable .contact-pins on the switch-board, depending upon the dcgree oi coupling or unifying eli'ectedby the action, as, for example, when it is desired to `couple toa stop not on the manual being played. In the present instance, the switchboard. as shown, couples in only-one stop and :provides octave and "double-octave coupling;r

only; the principle ofmy invention remains the saine, however, in any of the actions oli' the organ.

Thea'ction is such tl1at,in the present instance, if the coupler bar 10 is shifted, the notes played on the manual sound at the ;itch played; if' the bar 9 is shifted, the notes sound an octave higher; and il: the bar 7 is shifted, the notes sound `al double octave higher. It follows, therefore, that the respective pins 4, 5, and 16,'must be inter-connected electrically with the action of the .pipes insuch a way asto cause the pipes to speak in the 'desired manner.

The Wiring heretofore .associated with such a switchboardisof an exceedingly ycomplex Anature, but in `my invention the electrical connections at the switch or other board vare simplified so as to eliminate the cross wiring heretofore.required ,to properly connect 4the different contact pins, as will now appear.

Com'i'nonly, the supporting parts o'lE the action 'are constrinftc'd oi' wood, and the ilexible pins, 8, 5, and 6, are niounl'eil in and ltingen-gli insulatingl i'errules passed through the Wood-base of the switch-board, while to ythe kprojecting lower ends ot the said 'plus' are soldered or otherwise f :onucci'wl (he` necessary wires lo establish the deem-:ffl elf-r trical connections.

y In my invention, the base-bmml ll. is ronstrncted ol a suitable dielectric or insulating body, and the i'errules l2 are formed oi conduc-tingiinaterial, the respective .pins 3, Ll. 5, and 6 each tightly fitting into their respect ive ferrules 12 for establishing electrical contact therewith. The several pins may at their respective lower ends project through the ferrules, as shown inthe drawings, bntI preiier to connect the different pins with each other Iand with the cables leading to other parts oi.'

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i the organl through the conducting ferrules 12 in a manner and for a purpose now appear mor.. Y l v l i` eferring now to yFigures?) and 5, which l ,l particularly illustrate my improved form of electrical connectors, attention is directed `to the arrangement ofthe conductors, the construction oilE which will `presently appear,

wherein it will be 'seen that` eachof the pms 4, for example, is electrically connected to a Y pin an octave higher by a conductor 13,- so

that all theconductors taken to ether are arranged, at its Were, inechelon, eachbeing in spaced parallelism withy its neighbors. In a like manner, each of the pins is electrically connected to'a pin 6 anoctaye higher on the switchboard by afconductor 14,

Vthese latter being thus also arranged in eehelon, and some o' them forming continuations of the conductors 13.

Assuming that. ,the range of 1the manual associated With the present v'switch-board is from@ to c4, as shown in the diagrammatic, .l `View Figure @wherein the connections for "the'octaves beginning with C and endingk with Vc4 are shown, the otliernotes* being omitted, forsimplicity. Here the. digital@` f is shown opposite the pinNo-1, with which it.' is associated; the digital c is shown opposite the pin No. 13; and so on for the lengtlio'f the ymanual. Thus, the first oneof thecontact drums 1 is operatively associatedA With' the digital playing the note C, the thirteenth one ot said drums will cau-se the pipe c to speak; the tu'enty-titthdrum will vcause pipe c1 to speak; the thirty-seventh drum, pipe c2; the

forty-ninth drum, pipe' c3; first drum, pipe 04. l Y Y Y Hence, it' the coupler 1()y is drawn, the digitals play their corresponding,pipes; if the coupler `9 is drawn, the digital C, for example, will play pipe cgwhilethe digital 0,in

and the sixtyturn, Will play pipe c1, and soon; if the cou-Y pler 7l iszdrawn, the digital Cwill play` pipe c1, and the digital @will play pipe G2., `What has been said about the digitals also applies.V

to thepedals, if the switch-board is associate-dirith the pedal manual, or if amutation stop is used. Ot course, more than-one `'coupler maybe drawn, in which caseeach fligital will play its proper pipe'and the pipe 1 an it-lare or doablesoctarc higher, or all of ,the other v,spend f to note C,

switch-board. Y Hence, instead otfce cable lea H, hem. as the c side of ithe switch Vboard Acorre se may be.

-t Vwill nonv be seen that thepu Gf on one note, tercnaniplepct v by theconductors 'i155 and 14 te the pin 4 .on

side et Y the srv" y clribcar n g since thcya nected, as. dcscriberh in Vschelen acm the saidpin G for the note c1 `dire` pin 4 ce. may b pending to the note C [to other-parts the organ, the

1 the conductors 13, 14, with consequent pos sibility oi short circuits andthelilre, and comy'plie'ationet the 1Wiring. To avoidthis latter effect, the pins G trom'notc C `to b, that is to say, the lirsttwentytou of said pins, are connected each toa proper lead in a cable "16 on the adjacent" side of the switchboard, thus located oppositely to the cable 15, the cables 15 and 16 being brought together around the end of the switchboard, to iorm a'comm'on cable 16 ,leading to the desired parts of the organ, as'illustrated in'Figure 1.` f

hand, the first twenty-four l.Thus the conductors on the switch-board are arrangedV in an` orderly manner, such that noconductor crosses Aany other. By this means I am able to employ a method of construct-ing'these kconductors,as will now be oescribedvhichis characterized' by a simplicity` vand accuracy highly desirable and useful in the organ art, so that not only are t dangers from derangements of the Wiring eliminated, but the cost of the Wiring is materially cheapened andr reducedv over the .method and materials heretofore, so far as I aml aware, employed.

ATo formthe conductors, asy 13 and 14, I preferably employ a conducting material in a fluid', preferably plastic state or condition, Which material has hardening or siccative properties, and which is laid down upon the baseboard 11 instrips or bands to form the means for electrically connecting the several pins 4, 5, and 6, arranged as hereinbefore described, the metallic ferrules 12 being preferably employed orV made use of to establishV the electrical connection between the ends ot the conductors and the pins. K It Will be readilyl seen that the spaced arrangement of ythe conductors, and the absence of any cross Wir-y ing, permits the convenient employment of a stencil 17 er the like (Figure 7) having cutouts 17ay corresponding te the desired locatien of the conductors, which stencil 1T is .laid

' down on the base board 11. andthe hardening material sprayed, painted, or otherwise applied thereto, With theresultthat, upon the removal of the stencil after such application, the desired conformation of the conductors is leit upon the baseboard 11, the hardening` or siccative properties of theplastic material f' thereafter act-ing` to harden the same vand establish thepermanence of the conductors.

vVJhile the foregoingfdescribed.method of construction ofthe conductors' has general applicability 'to any part of the organ, l

ifjor comiecting` the pins 4, 5, and 6.

prefecto form, in the base board 11,1or other part of the action where my inventionis employed, .grooves or ducts 18'(F.i gure 5) corresponding toithe desired conforn'iation of ,j the conductors, i-nto which grooves or ducts 18 the hardening ,material may be inserted by use of the stencil 17, if desired, or by simply spraying or painting the base-board with such material, or ,pressing vthe latter into vthe grooves, or dipping ,the base board in a vat of said material., the .excess thereof beingwiped ofi' or otherwise removed, leaving the desired `amount of conducting material in the grooves, fully protected from damage or derangement, and likewise fully insulated fromeach other by the insulating baseboard 11. It' said material in the grooves is struck; olf just below the surface of -the base board, the possibility ot short circuits due to lot gement or' foreign matter across the base board is substantially eliminated.

For convenience, the cables 15 and 16 may beinserted in suitable grooves 19 extending' along each side of the base-board 11. The respective leads in these cables `are brought out at appropriate p oints to soldering lugs Q0 disposed attheterminus of suitablegrooves 2l extending lfrom adjacent terrules 12, said grooves 21 being lled with the hardening conducting material in a manner similar to the conductors 15 land 16. As best seen in Figure 5, I prefer to form the grooves 18y with an enlargement at each end, through which the ferrules 12 extend, so that the conducting material ,will thus completely surround said ierrules to insure a satisfactory electrical contact therebetween.

'Ihe pins 3 are connected to eachother by a con'nnon conductor 22 disposed in a groove 23, and constructed in every respect like the coinluctors hercinbeore .lescribed This common conductor tor1ns,ein the ,present instance, the means for supplying the motivating energy to the action and may be connected with the positive or the negative pole ofthe .usualsource ot' energy, yas Yan electric battery', in a manner depending upon the construction of the action, as well known to those skilled in the art.

Thus it will be .seen that .I provide an improved method of construction of the conductors in the electrical action of an electricorgan and, concomitantly, provide a con struction substantially eliminating the danger lof short circuits or derangcment of the conductors, which tend to impair the functions of the action, and I accomplish the foregoing by a means characterized by simplicityband ease of application, whereby the cost yof construction of some of the most complicated parts lof the wiring ot the action is materially cheapened over the methods and Vmaterials heretofore, so `far as I am aware,

employed in the .artfof conductors asl described may be usefullyemployed to replace the ordinary cables.

.It will thus be readily understood that my invention has many diversilied uses in the construction of an organ, and that, while one embodiment of such use has been illustrated and several ypertinent enlployn'ients thereof suggested, other changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination ot the several parts thereof may be made and substituted ,for thoseherein shown and described withoutdeparting rom the-nature and principle ot the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric organ, a board comprising an insulation base-plate, and an electrical conductor associated with the base-plate, said conductor being formed of a hardening conducting material adhering to the board.

2. In an electric organ, a board comprising an insulation base-plate, and a plurality ot electrical conductors associated with the base-plate, said conductors being formed of va hardening conducting material adhering to the surface ofthe plate.

3. In an electric organ, a board comprising an insulation base-plate provided with a'plurality of surface grooves, each of the grooves conforming to Ythe location of an electrical connection in the board, and elec trical conductors disposed in each ot said grooves, said conductors being formed of a fluid conducting material adapted `to harden in said grooves.

4. In an electric organ, the combination with a plurality of electrically contacting members, of means for connectingr said'members to other parts of the organ, said `means including a base plate associated with said contacting members, and a hardening conducting material adhering to the base plate to forin, on hardening, electrical conducting members.

5. A switch-board for an electric organ comprising, in combination, a base plate of insulating material, a plurality of ferrules of conducting material mounted through said base plate, contact-pins upstandingly lixed in each ot said ferrules, an electrically coninsulating material, a plurality of ferrules oi conducting material mounted through said base plate, contact-pins upstandingly i'iXed in each ot said 'ierrules, an electrically contacting action associated `with said contact-pins, said base-plate having a plurality of grooves formed on its surface extending from some of the errules at one point of the base plate to others of ysaid ierrules at onother point of the base plate, each groove terminating at its opposite ends in an enlargenient surrounding one of said errules, and a hardening conducting material deposited in each of said grooves, adapted to form, on hardening, electrical conductors connecting the respective errules at the opposite ends ot the respective grooves. j

7. A switch-board for an electric organl comprising,in combination, a base plate of insulating material, a plurality of ferrules of conducting material mounted through they base plate in longitudinal and transverse rows, each transverse row thereof correspond-` ing to one of the keys of the manual associ'- ated with the switch-board, contact pins upstandingly fixed in each of said errules, each longitudinal row of said contact-pins being associated with a-coupled or unied stop of the organ, a plurality ofelectrically contacting actions associated with said contact-pins each operable by one of said keys, and a hardening conductingmaterial adhering to said base plate to forma plurality of spaced parber opposite each key action ,being connected tothe action of the organ.

9. A switch board for anv electric organ including a base, a plurality of contact-members opposite each ykey action of the organ arranged in longitudinal rows ony said base, and means including electrical conductors for connecting the contact-members opposite each key to the contact-members of their respective octaves in the successive longitudinal rows, said conductors being arranged in echelon such that no conductor crosses any other.V

10. A switch board for an electric organ comprising, in combination, a base plate lof insulating material, contact-members arranged on said base plate in longitudinal rows each corresponding to a stop of the organ, said contact-members being also arranged in transverse rows each corresponding to a digital of the organ, and means including electrical conductors arranged in echelon for connect-ing said contact-members in octaves between adjacent longitudinal rows such that no conductor crosses any other.

ln testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification.

HAROLD L. STEINFELD.

allel conducting strips each electrically connecting one ferrule in a longitudinal row with anotherl ferrule in the adjacent longitudinal row, said strips of material forming, on hardening, electrical conductors 'ar-V ranged in echelon across the base plate such that no conductor crosses any other and contacting at their opposite ends the respect-ive ferrules in adjacent longitudinal rows thereof corresponding to the octaves in the gamut of the organ.

8. A switch board for an electric organ including a base, and a plurality of contact members opposite each key action of the or-V gan arranged in longitudinal rows on said base, the contact-members opposite each key action being connected to the contact-members of their respective octaves inthe successive longitudinal rows, one contact-memlil() 

